SOPA isn't just a question of principle - it matters

Congress is considering censoring the internet.  And already the government has shut down websites without a fair trial. A company decides it doesn't like a website, and tells the government to kill it.  And the government does.  Without a judge, without even being given the chance to tell your side of the story.

It's bullshit. And could get much, much worse if the bill becomes law.  The only silver lining is it might fall in the courts because it silences free speech.  But it would be better if Congress realized they shouldn't break the internet.

Congressional Redistricting

The end of this video is amazing.  I was casually watching it and amused by their explanations of different tactics politicians use to gerrymander, but when I saw Cleveland, Ohio's congressional district, I was shocked. And the other examples are equally horrible.  You can skip to the end here.  Reminds me of the Redistricting Game.

Lip reading Rick Perry

This is the best video Bad Lip Reading has ever produced.  And the best parody of Rick Perry ever.

Bad Lip Reading: Rick Perry's "Strong" ad - watch more funny videos     

SOPA - Congress wants to break the internet

Not only is Congress planning on passing a law that would give the government the power to shut down any website they don't like without a trial, the members of Congress voting on the law clearly don't understand what they're voting on.

SOPA is a bill that would give the government to shut down any website that is suspected of piracy.  Without a hearing, without a trial.  Gone.

Copyright is already weighted unfairly towards corporations.  But this goes way too far, giving them the power to silence people they don't like, whether actually guilty of lawbreaking or not.

I'm glad my Senator, Ron Wyden, is opposing this bill.  I hope yours is too.  You can write them or call them to tell them to oppose it.

Bankruptcy holds no stigma for corporations

This columnist makes a good point about how we think it's wrong for people to walk away from debts they can pay, but giant corporations get praised for doing the same thing.  I do lean towards being mad at the corporations rather than thinking we should excuse everyone who walks away from their house.
Bankruptcy is an important part of our government - debtor's prison is not the way to go.  But if corporations are people we should give them the stink-eye for elective bankruptcy.

Gift comedy

I got my wife a present.  It's kind of large and bulky.  I wrapped it in a big box.  She was moving it around the floor last night, as we decorated the tree.  She complained about how much work it was to move the big boat around the room.

The present is not a boat.  But I thought it would be funny to pretend that she had just guessed what the present was.  So I put a look of fear on my face and said, "What?  Boat?  How did you..."  She then took the bait, and as I protested that maybe I was acting and it wasn't actually a boat, she would have none of it.  She was giggling at how hilarious it was that I couldn't keep a secret. And although she never reads this (no one does now, probably, after my months of silence), I'm not going to tell you what it is either.  Except it's not a boat.

She is going to be surprised on Christmas.

Thanks for frost keeping thieves away!

Last night we got a christmas tree.  (It fell down today.  Grr.)

Our tiny car doesn't have a rack, so we roll down the windows and close the doors to tie it to the roof.  I climbed inside the window rather than try to squeeze through an almost closed door.

This morning the driver's side window was still rolled down.  The lock was locked, but that didn't matter.  Luckily, it was cold last night.  All the other windows had a thick coat of frost.  And the hoodlums who previously stole our car radio didn't take it last night.  When it would have been slightly easier than last time.